RAID Configuration issues

[mitchell.somerville]

I've recently acquired two Hitatchi 3TB 7K3000 drives intending to add them to my PC as a RAID 0 array, and am encountering some odd challenges. This is my first attempt to configure a RAID array and your help will be very much appreciated.

System Specs
Windows 10 64 Bit
Asus P8P67 Deluxe Motherboard
i5-2500 @ 3.30 GHz
8 GB DDR3 @ 1600 MHz
Disk 0 (existing drive) Western Digital Red 2Tb
Disk 1 (New RAID drive 1) Hitachi 7K3000 3Tb
Disk 2 (New RAID drive 2) Hitachi 7K3000 3Tb

When I open the BIOS only one drive (the WD) is listed in the boot priority list.
When I navigate to Advanced Mode>SATA Configuration within the BIOS it lists the two Hitachi drives but not the Western Digital.
I've set the SATA mode to RAID Mode and enabled the two Hitachi drives connected to SATA6G_1 (Gray) and SATA6G_2 (Grey).
I save and restart continuously pressing Ctrl+I to launch the RAID configuration utility
The RAID Configuration Utility does not launch and the machine boots to Windows.
Disk Management within windows sees all three drives (not two drives as I would expect with a RAID Array) two of which are not yet enabled.

I'm unable to determine why the Raid Configuration Utility isn't launching.

Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Blas]

I think CTRL+I takes you to the Intel RAID options, but you have plugged your two new HDDs into the Marvell controller (the grey SATA plugs). I would try to plug both drives into normal (black) SATA ports, then set the SATA mode in the BIOS to RAID, and then by hitting CTRL+I you should be able to see the drives and set them as a RAID. The other option is using the Marvell controller (the grey plugs), and to access it you have to press CTRL+M at startup (see section 4.4 of your mobo manual). I would rather use the Intel RAID and turn off the Marvell controller, so that the boot-up times are faster (one less controller to turn on), but that's just me Hope it helps!

 

[mitchell.somerville]

I think CTRL+I takes you to the Intel RAID options, but you have plugged your two new HDDs into the Marvell controller (the grey SATA plugs). I would try to plug both drives into normal (black) SATA ports, then set the SATA mode in the BIOS to RAID, and then by hitting CTRL+I you should be able to see the drives and set them as a RAID. The other option is using the Marvell controller (the grey plugs), and to access it you have to press CTRL+M at startup (see section 4.4 of your mobo manual). I would rather use the Intel RAID and turn off the Marvell controller, so that the boot-up times are faster (one less controller to turn on), but that's just me Hope it helps!

There are no black SATA ports on my mother board there are 2 Dark Blue (Marvell 6gb/s) 2 Grey (Intel 6gb/s) and 6 light blue (Intel 3gb/s) The existing 2TB drive is plugged into the Marvell controller and the two new 3TB drives into the Intel controller. When I attempt to move the 2TB drive to one of the 3gb/s ports on the Intel controller and disable the Marvell controller the PC goes into a Windows Automated Recovery loop.

 

[Blas]

You can then try to set up the RAID from within Windows, as the 2 HDDs to be in RAID mode are plugged into the Intel controller ports. You would have to install the Intel Rapid Storage app (https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/55005/Intel-Rapid-Storage-Technology-Intel-RST-), and follow these instructions: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005789/technologies.html

 

[mitchell.somerville]

Thank you Blas. I'd like to take at least one more shot at setting it up through the BIOS if possible, do you have any thoughts on that? According to my motherboard manual it should be possible Section 4.4.4 states "During POST, press <Ctrl> + <I> to display the utility main menu."

Below are screenshots of the RAID configuration in my BIOS and my post screen, which does not display a prompt to enter RAID configuration.

https://imgur.com/a/OdvYB.

At this point I'm planning to do a clean install of Windows, and have already backed up my files, just need to get the array configured.

 

[Blas]

Indeed, once the drives' mode is set to RAID, as your screenshot shows, you should reboot and press CTRL + I to enter the RAID setup. Not sure when the prompt will show for this, though. In the BOOT menu of the BIOS, there's an option called "Option ROM messages", if you set it to "Force BIOS" there might be more messages from the mobo during post. Another option would be using the Marvel ports for the RAID, instead of the intel ones. But theoretically, you should be able to do it on the intel ports, with ctrl+i... not sure why this is not working... And then there's the option to configure it from the OS. Not sure what else there is to do... Sorry!

 

[mitchell.somerville]

Just to be sure If I wanted the OS installed on the RAID array it wouldn't work to configure it on the software side right?

 

[Blas]

Not sure of that... but there are ways, check this: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000005789/technologies.html#3